Receptacle



Sept. 28, 1954 c. M. THl JRSTON RECEPTACLE Filed NOV. 15, 1952 INVENTOR.62143. 5 ff. M01257 0/1 r Illvllhk' Patented Sept. 28, 1954 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE RECEPTACLE Gladys M. Thurston, Freeport, N. Y.Application November 15, 1952, Serial No. 320,710

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to receptacles.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide areceptacle which may be readily and easily opened at the bottom thereof,thus eliminating the necessity of inverting the receptacle in order toempty the contents therefrom.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a receptaclehaving a hinged bottom which is normally spring urged to an openposition but which is retained in a closed position by a spring catch,the spring catch being releasable with a minimum of effort on the partof the housewife or homeowner.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide areceptacle of the above type wherein the spring catch is adapted to bereleased by the foot while the arms hold the receptacle above theground.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a receptaclebearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction,inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, is compact,durable, pleasing in appearance, easy to operate and eflicient in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle embodying the features ofthe present invention, shown partly broken away to show the interiorconstruction thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof showing the hinged bottom inan open position and shown partly in section to show the interiorconstruction thereof and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of amodified form of the present invention, shown partly broken away to showthe interior construction thereof. I

Referring more in detail to the drawing, in which correspondingreference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a receptacle, referred tocollectively as III, and including a substantially cylindrical body I Iof metal or other suitable material open at both top and bottom,substantially as illustrated.

A pair of handle grips I2 and I3 having outwardly extending portions I4and I5, respectively, are secured at these outwardly extending portionsto the upper peripheral edge of body II by means of welding or othersuitable means, the handles I2 and I3 being disposed in diametrically 2opposite positions permitting the receptacle II to be convenientlycarried thereby in each hand to thedisposal area (see Fig. 2).

In order to permit the contents of receptacle II) to be convenientlyemptied without the necessity of inverting the same, a substantiallycircular closure I6 is pivotally connected across its top surface to theinner wall of body I l by means of hinge elements I1 and IB mounted upona common pintle I9, the hinge elements I1 and I8 being secured to theirrespective parts by means of screws 20, substantially as illustrated. Acompression spring 2I sleeves the pintle l9 intermediate its ends, theends 22 and 23 thereof expanding against the hinge elements I1 and I8,respectively, whereby to normally urge the closure I6 into the openposition shown in Fig. 2.

As a means of retaining the closure I6 in a closed position until it isdesired to empty the contents of the receptacle I0, there is provided avertical spring catch element 24 secured to the inner wall of the bodyII at the bottom thereof by means of rivets 25, substantially asillustrated, the bottom free end of element 24' being bent outwardly andthen inwardly for a purpose to be referred to directly.

It will be noted that the element 24 is disposed diametrically oppositefrom the hinge elements I1 and I8.

A complementary spring catch element 26 is secured to the upper surfaceof closure I6 by means of rivets 21 and is integrally formed with atongue 28 extending upwardly therefrom at substantially right anglesthereto, the end of tongue 28 being enlarged and adapted to resilientlyengage the bent portion of element 24 adjacent the body II,substantially as illustrated in Fig. 1 whereby to retain the closure ina closed position against the bottom peripheral edge of body II.

As a convenient means of releasing the catch 2 element 26 from element24 to thereby permit the closure I6 to swing to the open position shownin Fig. 2 under the tension in spring 2 I, there is provided in theclosure I6 an outwardly extending, integrally formed tongue 29 adaptedto be engaged by the sole of shoe 30 without releasing the hands fromgrips I2 and I3.

In operation, the receptacle I0 is used to store garbage and otherrefuse or waste material in the usual manner, the closure l6 resting onthe floor or other supporting surface and being firmly retained closedunder all conditions of movement by the spring catch elements 24 and 26in the manner indicated above.

When the receptacle ID has become full, the same is carried by means ofhandle grips H and I2 to the disposal area, Where the foot 30 is thenapplied to tongue 29 Without releasing the hand grips, thus disengagingthe element 26 from element 24 and permitting the spring 2| to swing theclosure l6 to an open position, the contents of the receptacle emptyingout in an obvious manner. The receptacle is then lowered upon theclosure I6 until the element 26 is again in resilient engagement withelement 24 and the receptacle is again ready for use.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 3, there is shown a modified form ofthe present invention, referred to collectively as [0, and differingfrom the first form in the position of the spring catch elements 24' and26'.

In this form, the spring catch element 24' is secured to the outside ofbody II at the bottom thereof, the free, lower end thereof being bent ina mannerxsimilar to the spring catch element 24 of the first form. Acomplementary spring catch element 26 is now secured to the top surfaceof tongue 29 and is provided with an upwardly extending, integrallyformed tongue 28' adapted to resiliently engage the bent portion ofelement 24' adjacent the body H when the closure I6 is in a closedposition.

In other respects, the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 is the sameas that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and like reference numeralsidentifylike parts in each of the several views.

The use and operation of the receptacle I0 is the same as that describedin connection with the receptacle [0.

It will be noted that in both forms the hinge elements I! and 18 are cutaway :at the central portions of their adjacent edges to receive thebody portion of spring 2|.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a receptaclewhich may be readily and easily opened at the bottom thereof without thenecessity of inverting the receptacle in order to empty the contentstherefrom, a "hinged bottom being provided which is normallyspring'urged to an open position but which is retained in a closedposition by a spring catch, the catch being releasable with a minimum ofefiort on the part of of the housewife or homeowner. It should also beapparent that there has been provided a receptacle of the above typewherein the catch is adapted to be released by the bottom of the footwhile the arms are free to hold the receptacle above the ground.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claim:

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of my invention, what isclaimed is:

A garbage can comprising a hollow body portion open at top and bottom, afiat plate-like closure for the bottom of said body portion, saidclosure being hingeably connected at its periphery to the bottom of saidbody portion and integrally formed with an outwardly extending tongue inthe plane of the closure diametrically opposite from said portion ofsaid cover hingeably connected 'to said body portion, spring meansnormally urging said closure into an open position, said tongue .havingsecured thereto on .its upper surface a substantially L-shaped memberterminating along its upper edge :in an enlarged portion, and acomplementary strip secured to the outside of said body portion at thebottom thereof directly above said L-shaped member, said strip at itsbottom portion being "bent outwardly and then inwardly whereby to vforma resilient catch for said L-shaped member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 876,038 Bryan .et a1. Jan. 7, 1908 1,240,740 Levett Sept. 18,1917 1,392,559 De Long Oct. 4,1921 1,732,940 Larson Oct. 22, 19292,447,787 Atkinson Aug. 24, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date17,303 Austria Aug. '25, 1904 156,205 Germany May 25, 1939

